The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low - Chap 268
A moment ago, at the Seowon Guild.
Nam Woo-jin unleashed a torrent of scolding. You just had to go and do something again, didn’t you? Instead of being careful because you’re unwell, you go causing trouble. I’ll put down the bed repair cost, so pay it back. And you, Lee Sa-young, why aren’t you looking after him? Just because you lost your memory doesn’t mean it’s over. You should take better care of J… His nagging was sharp. After the lecture, he was dragged off to get a physical check-up.
Nam Woo-jin looked him over with a fierce gaze.
“At least your body seems to have recovered.”
“Yes, sir.”
Cha Eui-jae clasped his hands together respectfully as he answered. He hadn’t realized it before, but Nam Woo-jin was truly terrifying when angry— enough to make even Cha Eui-jae’s normally fearless hair stand on end. Nam Woo-jin waved a file at him, his eyes blazing.
“Don’t go overboard again! You don’t know when the backlash might hit.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You respond well, at least. Now get out! Just try to cause another scene!”
“Yes, sir.”
Cha Eui-jae bowed his head and escaped the medical office. Leaning against the wall at the end of the hallway was Lee Sa-young, wearing his gas mask and waiting for him. Lee Sa-young smirked as he handed over Cha Eui-jae’s mask.
“Got a good scolding, didn’t you?”
As Cha Eui-jae put on his mask, he grumbled.
“Whose fault do you think that is?”
“It’s because you suddenly got mad.”
“And who threw the papers at me without any respect? Hand that over so I can see it.”
Lee Sa-young obediently handed him a neatly folded piece of paper. Cha Eui-jae unfolded it and read through the contents. Among the hastily written notes were things he both did and didn’t know.
– Director Ham Seok-jeong died during the monster wave
– Hunter Park Hye-kyung also died
– No Pado Guild
– Fish market has disappeared
– Mackerel missing (rumored to have headed toward Haenam; Jung Bin might know more)
– Hong Ye-seong went missing in Jirisan
– Bae Won-woo, affiliated with the Awakened Management Bureau
– Seo Min-gi, affiliated with the Awakened Management Bureau
– Choi Go-yo, affiliated with HB Guild
.
.
Cha Eui-jae looked at Lee Sa-young. This guy’s information-gathering ability was something else.
“When did you investigate all this?”
Lee Sa-young shrugged lightly.
“I just asked Jung Bin, and he told me.”
“You didn’t threaten him, did you?”
“Who knows? If he got scared and told me everything, does that count as a threat…?”
Figured. Jung Bin must have given him all the info to prevent bigger problems. Thanks, Jung Bin. Cha Eui-jae paused briefly at the name Park Hye-kyung, then slowly continued reading the rest of the notes.
“…There’s no Pado Guild?”
“Looks like I never founded it here. Originally, I only created the guild…”
Lee Sa-young trailed off, and Cha Eui-jae didn’t press him since he knew what he would’ve said next. Lee Sa-young must have formed it to wait for him. No matter how highly ranked he was, there was a limit to what he could do alone. Changing the topic, Lee Sa-young spoke up.
“Apparently, it was just the two of us traveling together.”
“…I see.”
Cha Eui-jae folded the note back up. But, as he handed it back, he asked a question.
“How did you know my body had recovered? And how did you know I was free?”
“Because it wasn’t tied the way I did it.”
Noticing that in such a short time, huh? Cha Eui-jae squinted at him, but Lee Sa-young responded nonchalantly.
“And, since you weren’t showing any pain even though you were tightly bound, I figured you must’ve recovered somewhat…”
Oh, right. Yoon Ga-eul must’ve tied him up hastily without controlling her strength, yet he hadn’t felt any particular pain. Cha Eui-jae touched his wrist. The red marks from where he’d been bound had completely disappeared.
Lee Sa-young checked his phone and continued.
“I asked Honeybee to lend us Choi Go-yo. He should be on his way to the Seowon Guild now. Where do you want to start?”
“I’d like to meet Mackerel.”
Lee Sa-young tilted his head, looking a bit surprised.
“I thought you’d say Hong Ye-seong.”
Mackerel, who’d lost his other half… Strangely, he felt a premonition that he needed to see him. Cha Eui-jae shrugged.
“Not sure why. I just want to go there first.”
“Alright, then. Fortunately, Jung Bin knows where he is.”
In one corner of his vision, a red number— 160 —blinked. Time was slipping away, unstoppable.
Cha Eui-jae looked up at Lee Sa-young.
“But, just so you know… I don’t have much time left.”
“In what sense?”
“Literally. Physically.”
With a low hum, Lee Sa-young tilted his head slightly.
“Aren’t you going to explain more than that?”
Already facing one warning, Cha Eui-jae debated whether to waste another by explaining this to Lee Sa-young or to save it. Lee Sa-young was sharp enough to pick up on things without being told. The more warnings he could avoid, the better.
‘He can be trusted that much.’
Cha Eui-jae took off his mask and gently held onto Lee Sa-young’s arm, looking into his eyes, his purple gaze, as earnest as possible. Lee Sa-young studied his face carefully and then, with a tilt of his head, he…
Boop.
The filter of his gas mask poked Cha Eui-jae’s nose. What’s this? Was he trying to pick a fight? Cha Eui-jae touched his nose, confused.
“What was that?”
“Well… you were looking at me all cute-like. I thought you were going in for a kiss or something.”
Was that what it was?
“Oh, come on. What would make you think that?”
Cha Eui-jae jabbed a fist into Lee Sa-young’s side, but he deftly dodged, instead grabbing Cha Eui-jae’s fist. In a low voice, he whispered,
“You must have some sort of restriction on speaking…”
“…”
The perceptive guy. Rather than nodding, Cha Eui-jae wiggled his captive fist. Lee Sa-young sighed.
“There really is no end to the chaos, is there…”
My thoughts exactly. Cha Eui-jae nodded. Lee Sa-young calmly asked,
“How much time do you have left?”
‘Now that I think about it…’
Isn’t Lee Sa-young someone who’s not from this world? Since he’s someone who came here from our world, there shouldn’t be a need to dance around the topic. We’re both looking for a way out anyway. Cha Eui-jae glanced at the diminishing red number and opened his mouth.
But then.
[Second Warning! Do not interfere with the past. Do not disclose future events.]
[Note: Entity ‘Lee Sa-young’ is also a past individual.]
[Caution: Upon receiving three warnings, a penalty will be applied.]
Once again, red text appeared and choked him. Cha Eui-jae’s eyes widened. What does that mean? Lee Sa-young came into the dungeon with me!
But he couldn’t move a single finger. Lee Sa-young looked at him curiously.
Cha Eui-jae wanted to cry a little.
Damn system!
Finally, as his voice returned, Cha Eui-jae managed to speak. He had no choice but to use the same method he’d used with Yoon Ga-eul.
“Sa-young.”
“Yes, Hyung?”
“The… roses… in my hospital room, how many were there?”
“Seven roses.”
The response came instantly. He even remembered that? Before Cha Eui-jae could admire his memory, Lee Sa-young narrowed his eyes slightly.
“Wait…”
That’s right. That’s the answer.
“It’s not that you have seven hours left, is it?”
Of course not!
Cha Eui-jae clutched his head in frustration.
***
In the end, Cha Eui-jae couldn’t say how much time he had left to live and had to move to somewhere in Haenam. Lee Sa-young threw out various time guesses, such as seven hours, 70 hours, a week, or seven weeks, but Cha Eui-jae couldn’t respond. The red warning messages kept flashing in his vision. So, he made an “X” with two fingers over his mouth, signaling that he couldn’t answer. Lee Sa-young sighed but didn’t ask any further.
Anyway, when Choi Go-yo arrived at the Seowon Guild, his appearance was more neatly put together than expected. According to Honeybee, Matthew didn’t like it when his identity was obvious. Anyway, he opened the door, threw up dramatically, and then passed out. Honeybee decided to take him to Jirisan, to meet Hong Ye-seong.
But then…
‘The atmosphere…’
It was a crisis.
“I don’t know how you managed to find me…”
The smoke disappeared into the air.
“…but I’m done with that life.”
The young man, with wet feet covered in white ash, spoke those words and then lit a cigarette. His loose checkered shirt wasn’t even buttoned, and under it, he wore a white tank top. His pants were wet and loose, and his glasses were scratched. His hair was messy and dark blue. He looked nothing like the Mackerel brothers that Cha Eui-jae knew.
‘I don’t know if he’s the older brother or the younger one.’
He looked like the older brother, but his actions were more like the younger one. Cha Eui-jae glanced at Lee Sa-young, sitting beside him. He was curious about his opinion. However, Lee Sa-young, who was resting his chin on his hand, seemed indifferent to the scene in front of them. Mackerel flicked the ash off his cigarette and said;
“If you have nothing to say, just leave.”
“Wait, I want to ask something.”
“I don’t know anything, and I don’t have answers.”
He waved his hand and tried to walk out the front door again. The sound of his wet feet hitting the ground echoed.
Why did I come to meet Mackerel? Hong Ye-seong probably knows more.
Cha Eui-jae thought for a moment.
“Tell me how the fish market collapsed.”
“…”
He didn’t want to see someone left alone.
Mackerel’s feet stopped.
The Whitening of the fish market, the death of Mackerel’s brother— this was all yet to happen in his world. If he knew the details, he might be able to prevent it beforehand. Cha Eui-jae stood up from the tatami mat and walked toward the young man who had stopped.
However,
“You came all the way here to poke at old wounds… you distinguished guests.”
From his upright posture, a tone of sarcasm leaked out. Mackerel turned around and looked directly at Cha Eui-jae. His pale blue eyes reflected Cha Eui-jae’s face.
“If I tell you…”
He took off his scratched glasses. Then, he brushed aside his messy hair that covered his eyes. A crooked smile appeared on his lips.
“…What, are you planning to use it as a lesson to make plans or something?”
